L’ isopoliteia chez Denys d’Halicarnasse: nouvelle interprétation

Abstract

A careful analysis of Dionysius of Halicarnassus’ text shows that isopoliteia has nothing to do with the Latin rights or the so-called ius migrandi. The word always refers to full Roman citizenship. Dionysius’ treatment of the history of the early fifth century BC is anachronistic, and it should be considered as a reflexion on the debates raised by the integration of the Latins and the Italians into the Roman citizenbody in the first century BC. His testimony rests upon a biased interpretation of the historical treaties of military alliance, and it should not be used to reconstruct the juridical links between Rome, the Latins and the Hernici in the Archaic period.